Gett WBC heavyweight champ Deontay Wilder
As fight night draws near in Las Vegas this weekend, promotional materials abound from the various Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury heavyweight superfight stakeholders. The latest such release was sent out Tuesday, and it included various predictions about Saturday night’s Wilder vs. Fury 2 heavyweight championship boxing rematch at the MGM Grand.
Wilder and Fury fought to a split draw in December 2018. Both fighters have won two fights since, and they meet again without a single blemish among them to settle the score.
But perhaps the most notable predictions among those sent out in the press release came from fighters that are already Hall of Famers or will be someday soon whenever they become eligible.
While the final tally for the rest of the list showed the fight was a virtual pick-em among the masses, honed down to just the all-time great boxing champions, Wilder was revealed to be the runaway choice among the group.
So whatever happens on fight night, one thing is clear. These all-time great boxing champs liked Wilder to defeat Fury going into this weekend’s hotly-anticipated pay-per-view heavyweight rematch.
Boxing Legends Choose Wilder Over Fury
Manny Pacquiao: “Never bet against a puncher, particularly one like Deontay Wilder. I look at Wilder like I do at a Mike Tyson, another puncher. I see Wilder winning this rematch with Tyson Fury by 10th-round knockout.”
Sugar Ray Leonard: “I like Deontay Wilder to win, possibly by knockout, but, in truth, I don’t see either guy being knocked out. I think that Wilder not only has that powerful right hand but that he has improved in his ability to set it up. On the other hand, I know that Tyson Fury has excellent boxing abilities and a tremendous chin from the way that he got up from the two knockdowns in their previous fight. In the end, I think that Wilder is always in shape and that he will use his speed and power to get the job done.”
Thomas Hearns: “Deontay Wilder can box and win, but I think that his power will be the difference in defeating Tyson Fury. I believe that it will go to a decision again, but with Deontay Wilder winning it.”
Evander Holyfield: “I’m picking Deontay Wilder based on his confidence and the fact that he does all of the right things to remain in great shape, and that he’s committed to his craft. Wilder’s not just a big guy with a right hand, but he’s also become more calculated in his approach. That’s why I’m picking him to win this second fight against Tyson Fury.”
Larry Holmes: “Deontay Wilder will knock out Tyson Fury in the seventh or eighth round if he does what I know that he can do, which is stay on the outside, use his jab, throw that right hand over the jab.”
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